"Sen. John McCain said he's not going to endorse Haspel also in part because she believes in torture, that she thinks it works, even though she laid out at least three instances where it did work to the benefit of humankind, not just Americans, but all human beings," McInerney said on the show.

"Well, she can't use it [torture] anymore because we have determined in Congress that it's not legal,” he added. “The fact is, is John McCain, it worked on John. That's why they call him 'Songbird John.’”

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Charles Payne, the host of the show, apologized to McCain and his family and said that he did not hear the remark.

“I regret I did not catch this remark, as it should have been challenged,” Payne said. “As a proud military veteran and son of a Vietnam vet these words neither reflect my or the network’s feelings about Senator McCain, or his remarkable service and sacrifice to this country.”

McCain, who was forced to falsely confess to crimes after being tortured as a POW during the Vietnam War, has called for his colleagues in the Senate to reject Haspel’s nomination.

“As I have argued many times, the methods we employ to keep our nation safe must be as right and just as the values we aspire to live up to and promote in the world,” he said.